Depression and Weight IssuesHave you been diagnosed with depression, are possibly on depression medication, and find it affects your weight loss efforts? Post here for support!
Im going to be starting some meds for depression and anxiety and Im worried they are going to make me gain weight. Does anyone know if any of the meds make you gain weight. I've worked so hard for my weight loss and dont want this to make it come back on. I know it wouldnt all come back on...but still. Please help.
Some meds do and some don't, its really an individual thing. I've been on several different ones and none made me gain weight (Prozac, Welbutrin, ... oh gosh brain fart.. can't think of the others..uuuuh !!) I'll try to remember the rest and post.
I gained 60 pounds on Lexapro. The doc SWORE it was not Lexapro making me gain but he switched me to Wellbutrin and i did better at first but then i just kind of stuck there. I got off of all depression meds and now i am losing again. Another doc i talked to said that these depression meds raise your insulin level and that is why they can cause weight gain in some people.
Everyone is so individual when it comes to reaction to meds.
I'm on Paxil and I gained about 30 pounds plus with it. But I did manage to lose 15 pounds while still on it. (to bad I have the 15 plus the 30+ depression pounds)
Your one advantage is that you've established healthy habits already. You have been doing so great with your weightloss so you know what has to be done.
Good luck,
K
Bout 10 years ago ( when I was married to a REAL jerk ***) I was prescribed Paxil and Buspar...Anti-anxiety and Anit-depression, I forget which is which. Anyhow, I had just lost 60lbs (kinda like you! I was 25 ten years ago!) and put 15-20 back on after the meds. I can't say the meds where the cause, can't say they helped either. But I can say that my sex drive was non-existant.
Med react differently with people. My mother was on lexapro and she lost 40 pounds. She said she was hungry, but ate till full and never wanted sweets. The doctor told her she is underweight now.
I was on zoloft and gained alot alot of weight. But if I stuck my mind to it, I lost. I think it is what we put in out mouths.
Thank you! Im just so nervous. I was on Zolof when I was in highschool and didnt like it at all. I dont remember if I gained weight but I did sleep all the time. I took myself off of it because of that and havent been on anything since. Im now 25 married and have 2 kids. I really need to get back on something. Even my husband has said so. I just dont want to gain any weight.
Welbutrin made me odd too. But I haven't gained weight on any ... I don't think ... I've tried welbutrin, effexor and paxil.
I screwed around with mine, worried about those sorts of side effects. After a reasonable trial (about six weeks I think, I posted then) I realised that being well made a lot of differences in many ways. I felt positive enough to exercise, plan meals, shop ....
My advice to you is.. whatever you decided to go on, start with the small dose possible. See how you feel, then up it. Depending on how you feel, the smallest dose could be the best. Less side effects and less chance of weight gain.
A friend of mind did great on a low dose of effexor, when her doc upped it to 75mg, she got hives and felt shakey. She went down to the low dose and is doing fine.
Lexapro is suppose to be good, it is in the family of celexa, but they refined it and it is suppose to have a low risk of side effects.
I'm on ten mg of lexapro and acutally lose a few pounds. The only side effect I have ( which is getting better) is the sexual ones. I'm sleeping good but not too much and I feel ok. but it depends on the person
good luck
My opinion on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication is to not use them unless you have exhausted all other options. Personally, I feel that such medications have caused me far more problems than help.
Having said that, I concur with everyone about medication being a completely individual experience. You simply cannot guess how your body will react. Also, it might be several months before you see any results or before initial side effects subside.
I am in the process of weaning myself off Lexapro. It has made me feel extremely tired and hungry. As a result I have gained nearly 15lbs and it's been a struggle getting it off.
Good luck with Prozac, I hope it works well for you.
I am a pharmacy technician .. and like someone said earlier .. any drug will have that side affect of either weight loss or gain .. my doctor put me on celexa .. and at a seperate time i was on wellbutrin .. mainly because they were the least probable ones to affect my weight ..and my sex life ... *my doc is big on a healthy sex life* .. prozac unfortunately can make you less interested in alot of cases.. so ya might want to watch for that and see if it affects you ..but every person is different ..the way their body and metabolism works and breaks down each medication ..what works for some .. may not for others...what doesn't do something to alot .. may affect you .. but best advice is to be aware of the possability ..but do not dwell on it because its like lookin in a magnified mirror ..what is a lil blemish .. looks like a catastrophe... good luck .. oh and it takes 4-6 weeks for the medication to completely build up in your system .. so it is a time consuming process.. my doc always asks that i give it 3-4 months if i take it as prescribed... good luck ..
hey i wouldnt say im new to 3fc becuase ive probably been a registered member for more then 6 months i never write but i always listen buti thought hey i might as well introduce myself, exspecially on this subject which ive been looking for somekind of forum or people talking about weight gain and anti depressants when i found this i was like Yess!!! Well my names Shawna and i'm turning 21 in september ... around this time last year i went through some kind of break down i didnt even know what was happening to me i was what i would call a pretty normal 20 year old, i drank and smoked pot on the weekends and then one weekend i was drinkin and smokeing a joint and all of a sudden full on panic attack and after that it was every few days then i stoped drinking and smokeing pot all together (yay me!) at the same time i stopped eating and alas had to move into my mothers house i went for 210 to 178 in only 2 months .. and i would like to say "yay me" but it is definatly not normal for me to drop pounds with out significantly trying to, then my mom and doctor put me on Paxil and now i was 230 little more little less on somedays but thats like 50 pounds in around 7 months .. again dramaic change in weight but this time in a much worse way .. The Paxil in an mental way has been a god sent, i no long want to die, i have goals and motivation but the weight.. Ooooh that weight.. my fat *** is larger and lazier than ever.. I can't seem to get it to go away and i usualy can although i wasnt happy at 210 but i mean i didnt care that much since i hold it fairly well... or i did.. now i definatly can see it and i want it gone... im 5"5, 130Lbs, waist is probably a 15 sounds weird eh.. its cause my boobs are giant,. no kiddding they are a 38J.. yes a J thats like 5 more cups than a DDD .. living in Canada.. Nova Scotia to be exact its hard to find a bra actually i have to send away to Ontario in total it cost me about 120$ a pop.... wow that was a rant.. im not even talking about pills anymore.. if your reading this Thanks you!!!! its nice to know that im not going on heard on my first post!
long long long story, short Paxil made me fat and happy.. not happy because im fat but happier just the same.. so the choice was the right one.. now i just need to find the motivation to get my *** up and move.. and I KNOW here is the right place to find it .. Thank you everyone and good luck on the pills.. give it time, tiiiiiiime is on my side yes it isss... okay ..
Weight gain with meds?
long time listener first time caller
but it is definatly not normal for me to drop pounds with out significantly trying to, then my mom and doctor put me on Paxil and now i was 230 little more little less on somedays but thats like 50 pounds in around 7 months .. again dramaic change in weight but this time in a much worse way .. The Paxil in an mental way has been a god sent, i no long want to die, i have goals and motivation but the weight.. Ooooh that weight.. my fat *** is larger and lazier than ever.. I can't seem to get it to go away and i usualy can although i wasnt happy at 210 but i mean i didnt care that much since i hold it fairly well... or i did.. now i definatly can see it and i want it gone... im 5"5, 130Lbs, waist is probably a 15 sounds weird eh.. its cause my boobs are giant,. no kiddding they are a 38J.. yes a J thats like 5 more cups than a DDD .. living in Canada.. Nova Scotia to be exact its hard to find a bra actually i have to send away to Ontario in total it cost me about 120$ a pop.... wow that was a rant.. im not even talking about pills anymore.. if your reading this Thanks you!!!! its nice to know that im not going on heard on my first post! 